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Jump suits were first introduced in the early 1900’s. Throughout the decades the names changed but the style remained relevant and popular. By the 70’s both women and men were taking the trend center stage.

The mini skirt made its debut in 1963 when designer, Mary Quant, featured it in a London window display. Two years later, Super Model, Jean Shrimpton shocked the world when she made a public appearance in a mini dress at the Melbourne Cup in Australia. The length of the dress was shocking enough, but she also dared to wear it with no hat, gloves or stockings.

EYELET

Eyelet is a cool, comfortable summer favorite. The word eyelet comes from the old French word “oeillet” meaning “little eye.” Eyelet cutwork was used as early as the 1500’s. It gained popularity in the Victorian Era when women chose eyelet for their undergarments. Eyelet is also used as a cheaper alternative to lace. On a celebrity note, Actress Brigitte Bardot wore a pink eyelet wedding gown in the late 1950’s for one of her nine weddings during her lifetime. Today, eyelet is a popular summer fabric for sun dresses, shirts and trims.

The following article was commissioned by Pointe Foure, a vintage clothing boutique in Erie PA, during my recent internship. This is article three in a series of three.

A wedding is perhaps one of the most significant milestone moments in a person’s life, and for the bride, choosing just the right gown for the occasion is a special event in itself. One local Erie store earned a loyal following for nearly a century, with its premiere bridal boutique located on the third floor of the familiar Trask’s Department Store. Each Spring, the newly engaged anticipated the announcement of “Bride’s Week,” an annual Trask event that catered to the unique needs of brides to be. 

Trask’s Opened in 1877 on Ninth and State St. in downtown Erie. It was well known for clothing and everyday items for the house. In 1937, the local Erie newspaper featured Trask’s ads referring to its 60th anniversary as a Diamond Jubilee with year-long sales events. For local Erie families, Trask’s was a familiar and popular showroom.

Each year, after the busy Christmas season, the staff and management at Trask’s, began a full-force effort to prepare for their signature “Spring Bride’s Week.” Planning involved nearly every department. Meeting notes acquired from the Hagan History Center’s expansive archives shows a number of duties assigned to each department before the annual event. 

Mr. Masterson, from the advertising department, was directed to order invitations, print tickets, and design a series of ads for the local newspaper. Mr. Dudzic coordinated the store window displays, which would feature bridal gowns. Early in the year, a theme was chosen, such as 1959’s “Once in a Life Time” and 1967’s “Love’s Young Dream.”  Every detail, including catering, microphones, music, and parking, were discussed weekly at staff meetings leading up to event day.  

Young brides, their mothers, and bridal parties anxiously awaited the announcement for “Bride Week” registration. The event was free but required a ticket, which could be obtained directly from the bridal salon. The catered reception included a showing of china, crystal, and silver, along with lingerie, stationery, and bridal gifts. The highlight of the evening was, of course, the elegant and extravagant fashion show. Bridesmaids’ dresses, mother gowns, and flower girl ensembles were included in the show. However, the bridal gowns were the center of attention. Trask’s was known to have resources to provide the latest trends and fashion designer gowns for the modern-day bride. Each attendee would leave the event full of ideas and perhaps with one of the many raffle prizes, which could include the bride’s first piece of china. 

For generations, Trask’s was the first choice of Erie brides. Mothers, daughters, and granddaughters alike enjoyed the tradition of selecting personal items for the bride’s trousseau and choosing that signature gown on the third floor of the Trask’s Bridal Salon.

Today, if you are looking for traditional or vintage bridal pieces that can bring back memories, Pointe Foure has a unique selection. Visit our new downtown location on State Street and take a walk down memory lane.

Photos Courtesy of the Hagen History Center, Erie, PA

The following article was commissioned by Pointe Foure, a vintage clothing boutique in Erie PA, during my recent internship. This is article two in a series of three.

While today’s shopping experience is reduced to a few clicks on the computer and a cardboard box dropped at your doorstep, there was once an endearing and memorable time when shopping was a full-day, family event in downtown Erie at the familiar Halle’s Department Store.

The first Halle’s opened on February 7, 1891, in Ohio. By the turn of the century, the company was expanding and made its way to downtown Erie in 1929. 

Seasonally, families would plan shopping days to find school clothes, Christmas party attire, Easter bonnets, and just about anything for the family and home. Shopping in Erie was reserved for the downtown area, with both women and men fully dressed for the special outing. Block by block ladies in day dresses, heels, and handbags, and gentlemen in suits, ties, and fedoras would make their way to the front entrance of Halle’s. It was a must-visit with specialized departments, including men’s tailored suits, women’s dresses, jewelry, and housewares. The expansive shoe department was top-rated, with styles for every family member. Despite its enormous size, Halle’s specialized in keeping their merchandise organized and easy to find with the help of individual sales staff.  

Long before the internet shopping we experience today, Halle’s introduced the concept of mail-order with the help of their own designated personal shopper, Mrs. Edith Scarlett.  As an Erie native, she hand-selected items from the flagship Halle’s store in Cleveland and had them sent to her home where she processed individual mail orders to local residents. Her sales efforts were instrumental in bringing the downtown store to Erie. Once the store opened, she remained a personal shopper and buyer for many years at the downtown location.

Personalized service was the hallmark of Halle’s. When you entered the store, sales staff were eager to help you find just the right item. Then, each selection was wrapped and packaged for the trip home. One particular marketing idea was Halle’s hatbox which proudly featured the store logo and allowed ladies to safely carry and store their special purchase of the day.

By the 1950s, retail was expanding out to the suburbs. Halle’s led the movement by building an expansive, modern store in the West Erie Plaza with a celebrated grand opening that made headline news in the local Erie Times newspaper. In attendance were Mr. and Mrs. Walter Halle, the store’s namesake owners from Cleveland. Also attending the premiere event was the Murphy family of the acclaimed Boston Store, who complimented their competitor’s efforts by stating, “The layout is perfect, and merchandise is displayed beautifully. We at the Boston Store wish them the very best success.” The most noted addition at the new store was the full-service beauty and nail salon which featured a wall of mirrors and soft shades of  pink throughout.

Whether you shopped at the traditional downtown store or the modern West location, Halle’s was more than just a day of shopping. The cafe was a popular lunch spot that featured fashion shows with the latest trends. The salon, known as the “Design Studio,” booked regular appointments with the ladies of Erie. It was a landmark place to meet friends and make memories.

Today, there is an active movement to revitalize downtown shopping. Pointe Foure is at the center of it all with a new location on State Street. We admire and respect the history Halle’s brought to downtown Erie, and we also hope to be your destination boutique for a memorable and personalized shopping service.

Photos courtesy of
Pointe Foure
The Hagen History Center
Mercyhurst Library

The following article was commissioned by Pointe Foure, a vintage clothing boutique in Erie PA, during my recent internship. This is article one in a series of three.

Erie, like most urban areas at this time of year, is bustling with holiday shoppers. But, over a century ago and for decades to follow, the most popular place to shop, which still holds fond memories for many residents, was the Boston Store in downtown Erie. Parents, grandparents, and just about everyone in Erie knew the meaning of “meet me under the clock.” The giant timepiece, located in the center of the main floor, was a familiar meeting place for shoppers rushing up and down the escalators. To understand why this iconic store was so fondly remembered by so many people, let’s first look at the history behind such a well- respected store in downtown Erie under the original name of Sibly’s. It was owned by a Rochester firm with a group of stores locals referred to as Boston Stores. A year later, the Erie location adopted that familiar name too. By the turn of the century, the store was expanding and eventually filled a complete block from State Street to Peach Street. In 1929 a redesign was planned by local architects, Myers and Krider. This new, modern design began as three stories but quickly grew to six which included plans for a pool on the top floor. However, due to accessibility issues, that idea was scrapped. More upgrades occurred with the installation of escalators and a water sprinkler system, the first commercial operation to do so in Erie, keeping the Boston Store updated and even more popular for its attention to customer service.

Throughout its history, The Boston Store made a memorable impression on its customers, as one resident describes, “What nice memories I have of the early ’50s, meeting in the downstairs cafeteria or under the clock.” For children, the Boston Store was a magical place as this former customer recalls, “I have wonderful childhood memories of special shopping days with my mother at the Boston Store including Easter dresses, school shoes, and our Christmas visit with Santa in the Fabulous Toyland.” It was also a hot spot for teens according to this former patron, “Next to the escalator you could pick up the Top 40 list from WJET radio. Occasionally they would have special lists such as the Top 500 songs of all time. I still have one copy of that from the 1960s.” It was a special place for employees too. Mercyhurst graduate, Barbara Chambers fondly recounts her days behind the counter. “Working on the main floor, near the elevators, in the Notions Department, gave me a view of almost every shopper who came to the Boston Store. As a result, I met lots of new people, customers, and passersby, as well as lots of my friends and relatives.” Ms. Chambers proudly explains that she earned 96 cents an hour and was required to follow the Boston Store’s modest dress code of “no sleeveless attire.” This may seem minimal pay and a bit strict
for today’s college students, but for the ’60s, when retail options were limited in Erie, a Boston Store clerk position was. highly valued by many young adults working their way through school.

By 1971 the Boston Store was quite familiar and most noted for marketing signs which wrapped around the building that covered a full block. They were also known for their mile marking signs making it clear just how many miles you were from one location to the front of the store. Some people even had similar signs placed in their yards. Due to the Highway Beautification Act, the five-foot, iconic signs were removed from state highways while some customers kept the signs as souvenirs. Erie, Historian Debi Lyon says, “The Boston Store mile marker signs used to be spread out all over Erie County, PA. It seems like they were posted along the roadside every few miles on Route 20, Route 8, and Route 5.”

For others, the memories reached far beyond clothing and jewelry. In the basement, the soda fountain was well known for its milkshakes and cafeteria-style lunches while the sixth-floor dining room was reserved for more special occasions.

By the early ’70s, shoppers were introduced to a new form of retail at local malls which took them out into the suburbs and away from downtown. In 1974, Erie’s new Millcreek Mall proved to be tough competition for the historic

Boston Store. However, there was still some hope left for the store to be remembered with a place in history. After the store closed its doors to retail business, The Villa Maria Academy decided to preserve the Boston Store as a historic landmark. But the effort failed and on July 7th, 1979, the Boston store closed its doors for good.

There have been some recent attempts to rebuild or recreate a new Boston Store but it’s nearly impossible to recreate the same experience that Erie residents carry only in their memory now. “I remember that the elevator attendant would announce the type of merchandise one could purchase on any given floor as the elevator doors opened. My fave announcement was Ladies Better Dresses.”

Today, there is a movement to return to downtown shopping and you’ll find Point Foure in the center of it all at its new location, 523 State Street. We don’t have Boston Store escalators, but we do have exceptional customer service, unique vintage clothing and we promise to give you a memorable shopping experience.

Special thanks to:

The Hagen History Center
Old Time Erie
Mercyhurst Library